In December 2015, Pope Francis declared 2016 to be a Jubilee Year of Mercy. The Catholic Women’s League Tasmania Inc. (CWL) responded by submitting a proposal to Archbishop Julian Porteous to establish a memorial to unborn babies lost through abortion. The location selected was consecrated land at St John’s Church, Richmond Tasmania.
Catholic Women’s League Tasmania Inc. (CWL) represent Catholic women across the state of Tasmania. As a pro-life group, the League has found abortion to be a divisive, polarizing, emotive and moral issue but they have continued to lobby and educate politicians, write submissions, publish letters in newspapers and voice their concern in the community.
Local sculptor Ben Tolhurst was commissioned to shape and form the memorial in marble and granite. CWL set the parameters; a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket that cascaded down the front of a plinth, with its tiny head resting comfortably on a pillow and eyes gently closed. This sculpture represents a baby – secure, loved and resting in peace in God’s care.
An unexpected outcome of the memorial was the donation of money to purchase two locally built seats, one in memory of Margaret Sykes and the other Senator Brian Harradine, both tireless pro-life advocates.
The Memorial is built on church grounds accessible to anyone of any faith or no faith who is experiencing grief from a termination. They come to pray, contemplate, reflect and find peace and healing.
On July 3 2017, the memorial was blessed by Rev Father Micheal Tate accompanied by St John’s Parish Priest, Father Terry Rush.
Prayer cards are available in St John’s Church, Richmond. An image of the Memorial graces the cover with the words:
In memory of children lost to us through abortion now in God’s care.
On the back of the card is a prayer written by Noel Roberts, a Catholic pro-life activist.
“Watch over the stirrings of life in the womb
And bring it to fruition.
May it suffer no untimely birth at nature’s whim
nor violence at our hands.
Let every human life show forth the Creator’s love
and strengthen the human family.
Made in Your image, let each child thrive and
come to fullness in due time”